Toilet paper roll holders that emit fragrance are desirable. However, there exists a need for an apparatus for dispensing fragrance that can provide, during dispensing of toilet paper, an increased rate of fragrance delivery while remaining concealed in the embodiment of a toilet paper holder. In the past, these results have been difficult to obtain given the size constraints associated with a typical toilet paper roll.
A typical toilet paper roll has a one and one-half to two inch interior diameter, and toilet paper roll holders generally have a smaller outer diameter than the smallest interior diameter of standard toilet paper rolls. Furthermore, toilet paper roll holders are generally five to seven inches in length. The available space may be further reduced because toilet paper roll holders generally are configured to be compressible for installation, creating unusable space. In addition, an internal spring(s) often occupies more of the little remaining interior space. Thus, the space available within a toilet paper roll holder for use as an air freshening apparatus is very limited.
In light of these tight space constraints, it is not surprising that some air freshening devices associated with toilet paper roll holders, are configured with all, or a portion, of the air freshening device placed external to the toilet paper roll holder. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,984 (external fan), U.S. Pat. No. 2,746,798 (external pump spray), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,938 (decorative end cap for the toilet paper roll) disclose devices where the air freshening material and/or the air freshening delivery mechanism exists external of the toilet paper roll holder. A less noticeable and more aesthetically pleasing fragrance emitting device is desirable.
Nonetheless, some fragrance emitting toilet paper roll holder devices have entirely enclosed the air freshening device within the toilet paper roll holder with varying degrees of success. For example, various toilet paper roll holder air fresheners have placed solid materials in the holder to emit fragrance. These devices utilize materials such as pellets, tablets, or a solid mass. However, often the fragrance emitting substance used has a relatively low rate of delivery of fragrance. Furthermore, again due to the limited size of the toilet paper roll holder, the amount of material is restricted. Thus, the strength of the fragrance emissions in these devices is typically limited and unsatisfactory. In addition, these devices do not generate an increased output of fragrance when toilet paper is removed from the roll. Also, it is not visually obvious when the fragrance is gone from pellets, tablets or solid masses. Moreover, such toilet paper roll holders often, disadvantageously, may permit access to the fragrance emitting device/material.
In an effort to achieve a suitable level of fragrance delivery and an increased fragrance delivery during toilet paper removal from the roll, some toilet paper roll holders have been designed to roll. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,456 (“the '456 patent”), states that “free rolling of the paper roll holder can increase the outflow of air-treating vapors from air-treating materials contained within the holder, particularly if the contained materials are free to tumble within the holder upon rolling.” The '456 patent teaches that the rolling action of the holder and the tumbling action of the vaporizable air treating pellets are the mechanisms needed to enhance vaporization, and moreover to enhance vaporization when such air treating vapors are needed.
These rolling toilet paper roll holder design efforts are a product of the incorrect assumption that non-rolling toilet paper roll holders cannot dispense high intensity fragrance, and cannot increase the rate of dispensing when toilet paper is being removed from the roll. The '456 patent states explicitly, in its criticism of U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,209 (“the '209 patent”), that the '209 patent's toilet paper roll holder “does not very well dispense increased amounts of air-treating vapors when such are needed” and that “[t]he rate of vapor dispensing from such devices is substantially constant even while paper is being pulled from rolls mounted on such devices, an action that often occurs when undesirable odors are present.” Such rolling toilet paper roll holder devices are typically complex, have a higher chance of failure, and are expensive. For example, this complexity is due to design elements that are included to make the holder roll with the toilet paper roll. These design elements include stress relaxation springs, low friction contact with the support brackets holding the toilet paper roll holder, and friction creating devices such as bumps and the like.
The '456 patent teaches that to achieve an increase in intensity of fragrance at the time of usage of the toilet paper, the holder must be free rolling and preferably exhibit tumbling of the vaporizable materials. Thus, the '456 patent identifies plastic beads or other materials that can tumble freely within the holder upon rotation thereof. Thus, the teachings associated with rotating toilet paper roll holders expressly limit the choices of substances and mechanisms for delivery of fragrance materials.
In general, prior art toilet paper roll holders that can freely rotate are complicated, more likely to malfunction or break, and more costly to manufacture than standard toilet paper roll holders. A simpler device for achieving high fragrance output and an increased fragrance output upon use of the toilet paper is desirable. Thus, there is a need for a vapor-dispensing device that overcomes these and other limitations of the prior art.